Verifying accessory compatibility with a mobile device

Abstract

Systems and techniques for providing an automated interface that enables a user of a mobile station to quickly determine whether a hardware accessory or mobile station accessory of interest is compatible with the mobile station are provided. A determination is made whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the mobile station based on the type of the mobile station and information identifying the mobile station accessory product. A message or notification indicating whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the first mobile station is automatically displayed to the user of the mobile station via an interface provided at the mobile station.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system, comprising:
 an interface configured to enable communication through a network with a first mobile station;   a processor coupled to the interface;   a memory accessible to the processor; and   programming stored in the memory, wherein execution of the programming by the processor configures the computer system to perform functions, including functions to:
 receive a query message from the first mobile station via the network and the interface, the query including information identifying a mobile station accessory product and information related to the first mobile station; 
 identify the first mobile station as one of a plurality of types of mobile stations based on the information related to the first mobile station; 
 based on the identified type of first mobile station and the information identifying the mobile station accessory product, determine whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the first mobile station; and 
 send an answer message to the first mobile station via the network and the interface, indicating the determination of whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the first mobile station, for presentation to a user of the first mobile station. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the function to determine the compatibility comprises functions to:
 identify the type of the first mobile station and the mobile station accessory product, to a computer system of a manufacture or supplier of the mobile station accessory product; and   receive the determination of whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the first mobile station, from the computer system of the manufacture or supplier of the mobile station accessory product.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the function to determine the compatibility comprises functions to:
 query a database for compatibility information related to the mobile station accessory product based on the identified type of the first mobile station and the information identifying the mobile station accessory product; and   determine whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the first mobile station based on the queried compatibility information.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information related to the first mobile station is at least one of a mobile equipment identifier associated with the first mobile station or a unique device identifier assigned to the first mobile station by a manufacturer of the first mobile station. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the functions performed by the computer system further include functions to:
 in response to the query message received from the first mobile station, identify at least one second mobile station associated with the user based on a purchase history including a record of prior transactions stored for the user in a database communicatively coupled to the computing system, wherein the second mobile station is identified as one of the plurality of types of mobile stations based on the stored information related to the second mobile station;   based on the identified type of second mobile station and the information identifying the mobile station accessory product, determine whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the second mobile station; and   update the answer message to be sent to the first mobile station via the network and the interface, so as to include an indication of whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the second mobile station based on the determination of compatibility for the second mobile station.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the query message including the information identifying the mobile station accessory product was received via the network from a data input device that is coupled to the first mobile station and that captured the information identifying the mobile station accessory product. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the information identifying the mobile station accessory product includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag identifier, and the data input device is an RFID or a near field communication (NFC) reader. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the information identifying the mobile station accessory product includes a universal product code (UPC) or a quick response (QR) code associated with the mobile station accessory product. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the data input device is a digital camera. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, at a server, a network request from a client application executing at a first mobile device of a user, the network request including a unique identifier associated with a hardware accessory product of interest to the user;   retrieving compatibility information related to hardware accessories for the first mobile device based on the received network request;   determining whether the hardware accessory product is compatible with the first mobile device of the user based on the retrieved compatibility information and the unique identifier included in the network request from the first mobile device; and   sending a response to the client application executing at the first mobile device based on the determination, the response including an indication, to be presented to the user at the first mobile device, of whether or not the hardware accessory product is compatible with the first mobile device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the retrieving step comprises:
 identifying the first mobile device as one of a plurality of types of mobile devices based on information related to the mobile device included within the received network request; and   retrieving compatibility information related to hardware accessories for the first mobile device based on the identified type of the first mobile device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the retrieving step further comprises:
 querying a database for the compatibility information related to the hardware accessory product based on the identified type of the first mobile device and the information identifying the hardware accessory product.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the information related to the first mobile device includes at least one of a mobile equipment identifier associated with the first mobile device or a unique device identifier assigned to the first mobile device by a manufacturer of the first mobile device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 in response to the query message received from the first mobile device, identifying at least one second mobile device associated with the user based on a purchase history including a record of prior transactions stored for the user in a database communicatively coupled to the server device, wherein the second mobile device is identified as one of the plurality of types of mobile devices based on the stored information related to the second mobile device;   based on the identified type of the second mobile device and the unique identifier associated with the hardware accessory product, determining whether the hardware accessory product is compatible with the second mobile device; and   updating the response to be sent to the client application executing at the first mobile device based on the determination, wherein the response is updated so as to indicate to the user at the first mobile device whether or not the hardware accessory product is compatible with the second mobile device.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the unique identifier associated with the hardware accessory product is captured using a data input device coupled to the first mobile device, and the network request is sent automatically by the client application executing at the first mobile device upon obtaining the unique identifier as captured by the data input device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the unique identifier associated with the hardware accessory product is based on radio-frequency identification (RFID), and the data input device is an RFID or a near field communication (NFC) reader. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the unique identifier associated with the hardware accessory product is a universal product code (UPC) or a quick response (QR) code associated with the hardware accessory product. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data input device coupled to the first mobile device is a digital camera. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the data input device coupled to the first mobile device is a barcode scanning device. 
     
     
         20 . A mobile station, comprising:
 a wireless transceiver configured to enable wireless communication through a mobile network;   at least one user interface element;   a processor coupled to the transceiver and the at least one user interface element;   a memory accessible to the processor; and   an application program stored in the memory, wherein execution of the application program by the processor configures the mobile station to perform functions, including functions to:
 receive an input of information enabling identification of a mobile station accessory product; 
 send a query message via the transceiver and the network, the query including the information enabling identification of the mobile station accessory product and information related to the mobile station sufficient to enable identification of the mobile station as one of a plurality of types of mobile station; 
 receive answer indicating whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the mobile station, via the transceiver and the network; and 
 output to the user the indication of whether or not the mobile station accessory product is compatible with the mobile station via the at least one user interface element.